Girdle



COLBY GIRDLE I Filed April 21, 1.950

Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED OFFICE GIRDLE Hazel Miller Colby, Chicago, 111., assignor to Kabo, Inc., a. corporation of Illinois Application April 21, 1950, Serial No. 157,344

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a girdle and more particularly to a girdle having abdominal supporting means capable of holding the abdominal region of the wearers body fiat.

The present invention contemplates the use of a pair of supporting members secured to the front panel of the girdle in criss-cross arrangement. The lateral distance between the opposite ends of the supporting members is less than the width of the panel to which they are secured, so that when the wearer puts the girdle on, the supporting members are stretched and thereby exert a constant pressure against the wearers abdomen tending in conjunction with the front panel to hold the abdomen fiat. This results in a trim, sleek appearance, and eliminates all bulges in the stomach region.

Other advantages of the girdle constructed in accordance with the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accom panying drawings showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a girdle embodying the present invention, as it appears on the wearer;

Fig. 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, showing the girdle as it appears from the rear;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a girdle embodying the present invention, showing the criss-cross support in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the girdle shown in Fig. 3, with parts broken away to show the inside of the girdle;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the girdle with part of the girdle folded downwardly to facilitate illustration of the interior structure; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a front panel made preferably of elastic material stretchable only in its longitudinal direction. The front panel may be made of rayon, nylon, or other material without being stretchable in any direction. It is important, however, that the material of the front panel should not be stretchable laterally because elasticity along its lateral direction would make it impossible for the front panel to cooperate with the cries-cross support hereinafter described, in holding the abdomen flat. The lower edge of front panel 2 is provided with a centrally disposed inverted V- shaped notch 3 into which a gusset 4 is inserted. The gusset 4 is stitched to front panel 2 as indicated at 5, and is stretchable transversely to provide freedom when the wearer sits down.

A side panel 6 is secured at one edge to one edge of front panel 2, as indicated at 1. A similar side panel 8 has the lower portion of one edge permanently secured to the opposite edge of front panel 2, as indicated at 9. The upper portion of the meeting edges of panels 2 and 8 is provided with a zipper fastener l0. Preferably a series of interengagin hooks II and eyes I2 is also provided as a reinforcement for the zipper closure. The hooks H are secured to a strip l3 one edge of which is stitched to the webbing of the zipper and the other edge to the front panel 2. The eyes I2 are secured to a strip I4 stitched to the webbing of the other portion of the zipper and to the edge of side panel 8. The strip I4 is positioned behind the zipper to, protect the wearers skin from getting pinchedlin the zipper. The side panels are preferably stretchable laterally only, but may be stretchable longitudinally also. The lateral elasticity of the side panels permits the girdle to conform to bodies of different shapes and to fit snugly around the buttocks.

Two strips l5 and I6, of webbing stretchable only in their lateral direction, are arranged in criss-cross fashion behind front panel 2 and are secured at one end to the edge of the front panel by stitching 1. The opposite end of strip I5 is securedto the front panel 2 by the same sitching that secures strip l3 to the front panel. The corresponding end of strip I6 is secured to the front panel partially by the same stitching, and the portion of the end of strip l6 which extends below the zipper closure is secured to the front panel by stitching 9. v

The strips I5 and I6 are high enough so the criss-cross support is coextensive with the region of the wearer's body from the waist line to the hip. The overall transverse distance between the opposite ends of strips l5 and I6 is less than the width of front panel 2. When the girdle is positioned on the wearer's body, strips l5 and I6 stretch laterally to the width of front panel 2. This lateral stretching, limited in extent by the width of the front panel which can not stretch laterally, causes the criss-cross support to exert constant force against the wearer's abdomen, tending to hold the abdomen flat and to impart a neat appearance of slimness. The criss-cross support incooperation with the front panel con trols the appearance of the front of the wearers body from the waist line to the hip and prevents any bulges in this region.

A back panel H has one edge secured to one edge of side panel 6, as indicated at I 8. and its other edge secured to one edge of side panel 8, as indicated at IS. The back panel is stretchable in its longitudinal direction only. The longitudinal elasticity of the front and back panels enables the garment to yield with the body when the wearer sits down. The side panels 6 and 8, and the back panel I! are each shorter longitudinally than front panel 2. An elastic band provided at the top edge of each of the side and back panels makes the length of each panel uniform. The elastic band is preferably made of three pieces 20, 2| and 22 secured to the top edge of side panels 6 and 8 and back panel 11, respectively. The pieces 20, ,,2I and 22 areeach shaped to conform to the body contours at the region of the waist, and are each stretchable in lateral direction only.

A plurality of reinforcing ribs or stays 23 is provided at spaced intervals around the top edge of the girdle to prevent the top edge of the girdle from folding over. The number of reinforcing ribs may be varied, but it is preferred to provide one rib at each" meeting edge of the various panels. The lower edge of the girdle is preferably provided with a plurality of stocking supporters 24.

From the foregoing it will be seen that'a girdle constructed in accordance with the present invention will hold the abdomen of the wearer flat and will stretch to conform to the body contours to permit the required freedom of movement for comfortable wear.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of the invention in considerable detail it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing fromthe spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not intend to be restricted to the exact structure disclosed.

a I claim:

1. A girdle comprising a front panel and a back panel and a pair of side panels joining said front and back panels, and a pair of strips stretchable laterally, said strips being arranged in criss-cross relationship with the opposite ends of each strip permanently secured to the opposite edges of said front panel, thetransverse distance between the opposite ends of each of said strips being less than the width of said front panel when said strips are unstretched, whereby said strips may be stretched to conform substantially to the width of said front panel when said irdle is positioned on the ,body of its wearer, and the elasticity of laterally, said bands being secured end to end to each other and the assembled bands being permanently secured to the opposite edges of said front panel, the transverse distance between the opposite ends of each of said strips being,

less than the width of said front panel when said strips are unstretched, whereby said strips may be stretched to conform substantially to the width of said front panel when said girdle is positioned on the body of its wearer, and the elasticity. of

said strips exerts a constant force against the wearer's abdomen and cooperates with the front panel in holding the abdomen flat.

3. A girdle consisting of a front panel and a back panel, and a pair of side panels joining said front and back panels, the bottom edges of all of said panels being along a continuous, bodycontoured line and the top edges of said back panel and said side panels being below the top edge of said front panel, elastic bands stretchable only laterally, said bands being secured end to end to each other and the assembled bands being secured at their free lateral edges to said front panel and at the bottom to said side and back panels, the top edges of said elastic bands and said front panel being along a continuous, bodycontoured line, said front panel having a gusset stretchable laterally, said gusset being at the bottom central region of said front panel, and a pair of strips stretchable laterally, said strips being arranged in criss-cross relationship with the opposite ends of each strip permanently secured to the opposite edges of said front panel, the transverse distance between the oppositeends of each of said strips being less than the width of said front panel when said strips are unstretched, whereby said strips may be stretched to conform substantially to the width of said front panel when said girdle is positioned on the body of its wearer, and the elasticity of said strips exerts a constant force against the wearers abdomen and cooperates with the front panel in holding the abdomen flat.

HAZEL MILLER COLBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,168,009 Van Praag Aug. 1, 1939 2,171,913 Bullinger Sept. 5, 1939 2,239,516 Blair Apr. 22, 1941 2,341,882 Scriggins Feb. 15, 1944 2,472,329 Kispert June '7, 1949 2,490,415 Ciringione Dec. 6, 1949 2,507,593 Glosios May 16, 1950 

